Charger volleyball team finishes strong with 3-1 record at Findlay tournament
Clara Leutheuser, Ashlee Crowder named to All-Tournament Team
September 6, 2008 - The old saying goes that youth will be served. That held true for the Hillsdale College volleyball team this weekend in Findlay.
Two of the team's talented freshmen were named to the All-Tournament Team, as the 11th-ranked Chargers won both matches Saturday to finish 3-1 at the TownePlace Suites Classic at the University of Findlay.
Freshman hitters Clara Leutheuser and Ashlee Crowder were each named to the All-Tournament Team. Hillsdale swept both of its Saturday opponents, Gannon and Wheeling-Jesuit. The latter win was particularly sweet for the Chargers, who freshly remembered a 3-1 loss to Wheeling-Jesuit at the Ashland Tournament last year.
Crowder was consistently strong throughout the weekend, registering 10 or more kills in all four matches. She hit .391 with 11 kills in the weekend finale vs. the Cardinals, a team that went undefeated in its conference in 2007. Crowder had 12 kills with a .647 attack percentage vs. the Golden Knights.
Leutheuser was a force at the net with her attacks and blocks all weekend. She hit an amazing .600 vs. WJU with 12 kills and no errors to lead the Chargers. She had a total of five block assists in Saturday's two matches.
In the third set against Gannon, the Chargers rolled out their "Diaper Dandies" lineup that featured four freshmen: Crowder, Leutheuser, Apryl Schmucker and Brogan Wells.
Hillsdale is now 7-2 on the season and will host Davenport University Tuesday night at 7 p.m. before opening GLIAC play next weekend at home.
Click on the two links below for box scores from Saturday's matches.
Hillsdale 3, Gannon 0
Hillsdale 3, Wheeling-Jesuit 0
FRIDAY WRAP-UP
September 5, 2008 - After one day of competition at the TownPlace Suites Classic in Findlay, Ohio, the Hillsdale College volleyball team is 1-1, after losing to California (Pa.) and defeating Bellarmine University.
Both matches ended in four sets. Hillsdale is 5-2 on the season and will face Gannon University and Wheeling-Jesuit Saturday to close out the tournament.
In Friday's first match, Hillsdale lost to a fundamentally sound and talented California (Pa.) team by scores of 25-16, 25-19, 21-25 and 25-21. The Chargers lost the first set to Bellarmine 25-20, but came back to post three straight resounding wins, 25-17, 25-17 and 25-18.
Against Cal-Pa., the Chargers struggled with their passing game, particularly in the first set when it lost by nine points. The Vulcans hit .429 as a team in that first set. In the second set, Hillsdale had a rare negative attack percentage, registering eight kills and nine errors in a 25-19 loss.
Hillsdale's game picked up considerably in set three with a 25-21 win. Hillsdale outhit Cal-Pa. .279-.186 in that set. But the Vulcans played top-notch defense against Hillsdale's powerful hitters, winning the match in the fourth set.
Three players had double-digit kills in the match for the Chargers, led by junior Kittrick Smith's 13. Freshmen Clara Leutheuser (12 kills) and Ashlee Crowder (11 kills) also had productive offensive matches. Leutheuser had five total blocks, including two solos.
Senior Stephanie Booms added 35 assists and six digs, with sophomore Sydney Dow leading the team with 21 digs. Freshman Morgan Podkul delivered back-to-back service aces to finish off the set three win for the Chargers in the match.
Bellarmine surprised the Chargers with a 25-21 set one win in Hillsdale's second match of the day. But Hillsdale responded strongly by getting off to big leads in each of the final three sets of the match.
Sophomore Amanda Bigney had a season-high 16 kills in the win over Bellarmine. Crowder also set a new season-high mark in kills with 13. Crowder hit .423 in the match and was the only player to hit double figures in kills in both of Friday's matches.
Junior Emily Bennett played in all four sets and was an effective offensive player with 11 kills and a .474 hitting percentage. Dow had 13 digs and two service aces, while Booms had four kills and 36 assists.
To view box scores of Friday's two matches, click on the links below.
Cal Pa. match
Bellarmine match
Two of the team's talented freshmen were named to the All-Tournament Team, as the 11th-ranked Chargers won both matches Saturday to finish 3-1 at the TownePlace Suites Classic at the University of Findlay.
Freshman hitters Clara Leutheuser and Ashlee Crowder were each named to the All-Tournament Team. Hillsdale swept both of its Saturday opponents, Gannon and Wheeling-Jesuit. The latter win was particularly sweet for the Chargers, who freshly remembered a 3-1 loss to Wheeling-Jesuit at the Ashland Tournament last year.
Crowder was consistently strong throughout the weekend, registering 10 or more kills in all four matches. She hit .391 with 11 kills in the weekend finale vs. the Cardinals, a team that went undefeated in its conference in 2007. Crowder had 12 kills with a .647 attack percentage vs. the Golden Knights.
Leutheuser was a force at the net with her attacks and blocks all weekend. She hit an amazing .600 vs. WJU with 12 kills and no errors to lead the Chargers. She had a total of five block assists in Saturday's two matches.
In the third set against Gannon, the Chargers rolled out their "Diaper Dandies" lineup that featured four freshmen: Crowder, Leutheuser, Apryl Schmucker and Brogan Wells.
Hillsdale is now 7-2 on the season and will host Davenport University Tuesday night at 7 p.m. before opening GLIAC play next weekend at home.
Click on the two links below for box scores from Saturday's matches.
Hillsdale 3, Gannon 0
Hillsdale 3, Wheeling-Jesuit 0
FRIDAY WRAP-UP
September 5, 2008 - After one day of competition at the TownPlace Suites Classic in Findlay, Ohio, the Hillsdale College volleyball team is 1-1, after losing to California (Pa.) and defeating Bellarmine University.
Both matches ended in four sets. Hillsdale is 5-2 on the season and will face Gannon University and Wheeling-Jesuit Saturday to close out the tournament.
In Friday's first match, Hillsdale lost to a fundamentally sound and talented California (Pa.) team by scores of 25-16, 25-19, 21-25 and 25-21. The Chargers lost the first set to Bellarmine 25-20, but came back to post three straight resounding wins, 25-17, 25-17 and 25-18.
Against Cal-Pa., the Chargers struggled with their passing game, particularly in the first set when it lost by nine points. The Vulcans hit .429 as a team in that first set. In the second set, Hillsdale had a rare negative attack percentage, registering eight kills and nine errors in a 25-19 loss.
Hillsdale's game picked up considerably in set three with a 25-21 win. Hillsdale outhit Cal-Pa. .279-.186 in that set. But the Vulcans played top-notch defense against Hillsdale's powerful hitters, winning the match in the fourth set.
Three players had double-digit kills in the match for the Chargers, led by junior Kittrick Smith's 13. Freshmen Clara Leutheuser (12 kills) and Ashlee Crowder (11 kills) also had productive offensive matches. Leutheuser had five total blocks, including two solos.
Senior Stephanie Booms added 35 assists and six digs, with sophomore Sydney Dow leading the team with 21 digs. Freshman Morgan Podkul delivered back-to-back service aces to finish off the set three win for the Chargers in the match.
Bellarmine surprised the Chargers with a 25-21 set one win in Hillsdale's second match of the day. But Hillsdale responded strongly by getting off to big leads in each of the final three sets of the match.
Sophomore Amanda Bigney had a season-high 16 kills in the win over Bellarmine. Crowder also set a new season-high mark in kills with 13. Crowder hit .423 in the match and was the only player to hit double figures in kills in both of Friday's matches.
Junior Emily Bennett played in all four sets and was an effective offensive player with 11 kills and a .474 hitting percentage. Dow had 13 digs and two service aces, while Booms had four kills and 36 assists.
To view box scores of Friday's two matches, click on the links below.
Cal Pa. match
Bellarmine match
33 East College St.
Hillsdale,
MI
49242
• Tel: +1 517 437-7341 • Fax: +1 517 437-3923
© 2007-09 Hillsdale College. All rights reserved.